Aquaknox
Scallop Ceviche on Wonton Chip with Microgreens
Oyster Trio – Little Skookum with Mignonette, Blue Island Rockefeller, Shigoku Shooter with Ponzo and Tobasco (Paired with Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut Champagne)
Hudson Valley Foie Gras – Nutella brioche sandwich, Confit Carrot Gastrique, Passionfruit-Mango Sorbet, Candied Pecans, Frisee (Paired with 2008 Kracher Beerenauslese Welschriesling)
Aquaknox Fish Soup – Mediterranean tomato-saffron broth, Pepper Flakes, Maine lobster, Ono, Mussels, Clams, Prawns, Sardinian Couscous, Pesto Toast (Paired with 2012 Vietti Roero Arneis)
Ono “Wahoo” – Winter Vegetable Ragout, Artichoke Littleneck Cream, Roasted Fennel, Persimmon Citrus Relish (Paired with 2012 Ramey Chardonnay)
Surf & Surf – Miso Glazed Pacific White Prawns with Golden Pearl Couscous/Lobster Cream/Cherry Tomatoes/Garlic Butter and New Bedford Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree/Brussels Sprouts/Winter Mushrooms/XO Sauce of Noble Tonic 05 (Paired with 2011 Torii Mor Pinot Noir)
14-day Wet Aged Filet Mignon/22-day Wet Aged Ribeye/22-day Wet Aged New York Strip – Mesquite Charcoal Grilled, Madeira Demiglace, Shishito Peppers, Onions, Mashed Potatoes (Paired with Del Dotto Caves 2010 Cave Blend)
Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Custard, Belgian Chocolate S’mores with homemade Marshmallow/Salted Caramel/Vanilla Crème Anglaise, Banana Cream Pie with Caramelized Banana/Banana Cream/Guinness Ice Cream (Paired with Yalumba Antique Tawny Port)
Key Lime Mousse – Vanilla Chiffon Cake, Lemon Verbena Ice Cream, Cherry Compote
Redhot Cinnamon Meringue, Fireball Whisky Spiked Hot Chocolate
Double Espresso on Ice
Invited to experience the skills of new Executive Chef Deric Meininger by Aquaknox General Manager Robert Menefee it was just after the restaurant’s 5:30pm opening on Saturday that four friends sat down in the Forbes 4-Star establishment, and treated to a seven course tasting intended to showcase the newly crafted menu during one of Las Vegas’ slowest weekends it is a wonder that the restaurant has flown under my radar for so long.
Owned by a restaurant group but lacking the marquee of much of The Venetian’s celebrity chef offerings Aquaknox is the sort of restaurant many may walk past without even giving a second thought, yet much like Bartolotta at the Wynn those lucky enough to take the plunge are rewarded by refined environs, exemplary service, and the sort of seafood not commonly thought of in the middle of the desert, an opening amuse of raw dayboat scallops atop a crispy base both creamy and sweet while a follow-up oyster trio presented three varieties of briny bivalves in manners intended to highlight the best of each – the simple shooter especially impressive with a sweet start giving way to salinity before dissipating in a trail of heat.
Offered a complimentary wine pairing from which three of us opted for very small pours it was with course two of the tasting that the menu first veered from the ocean and spontaneously created to compliment an apricot and pear heavy Riesling a thick slice of liver shined, the caramelized exterior and smooth sapor finding surprising balance in cocoa tones reined in by the vegetal gastrique while crispy brioche and candied nuts added plenty of texture, the sorbet seemingly unnecessary to the plate but well placed when considering the wine.
Visited more than once by Chef Meininger, a quiet man despite recent stays in the kitchens of Gordon Ramsay, course three was the only item of the evening not of his own creation and considered a staple since the restaurant’s inception the Aquaknox Fish Soup was every bit the signature it is billed to be, the spicy saffron broth bathing no less than a half-dozen varieties of seafood with pearls of fregula adding additional texture as top notes of pepper permeated the palate without overwhelming at all.
Again showing a deft hand with sea-life, both hearty and delicate, plates four and five featured fish, crustacean, as well as mollusk and with the meaty Wahoo delicately perched atop a rich ragout lightened by fruity chutney the “surf and surf” proved even more inspired as snappy prawns and a buttery scallop were each highlighted by their accoutrements, the former leaning slightly Mediterranean while the later took a more French approach – the finishing vinegar an especially welcomed addition atop the creamy squash base.
Taking a chance in finishing with beef it was with another trio that savories wound up and although the Ribeye proved a bit tougher than any of us would have preferred both the Filet and the Strip were fork tender and nicely seasoned, the flavor imbued by peppers and onions allowing the meat to stand up to the booming Cave Blend served alongside.
Once again intending to showcase the restaurant’s best items it was to a triplet of tasters alongside one central plate that we were treated for dessert and with a delicious yet heavy Tawny guiding the way not a single item of the group was less than exemplary, the stunning key lime presentation as light as a cloud while banana cream pie was presented as a sort of Mille-Feuille, the bread pudding trending more like spongecake with rich butterscotch notes flooding the palate in each bite.
Undoubtedly receiving VIP treatment, but witnessing every table around us treated nearly the same, it was after a short tour of the restaurant that our meal would end and with espressos and teas served alongside a duo of sweet n’ spicy mignardises it can only be said that Aquaknox more than exceeded expectations – a return visit for some a la carte options, the wood oven lobster, and a full-sized bread pudding inside the temperature controlled wine chamber almost inevitable to occur in the months to come.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS: Apparently the only Forbes 4-Star property on the Strip that is not fronted by a celebrity chef I remain flummoxed as to how Aquaknox remains largely unmentioned by the local culinary media or, moreso, by the palates I trust but with American Fish now closed and the Wynn properties ringing in at nearly 1.5x the price one would be hard pressed to name a better place for cooked seafood in Sin City – a hidden gem in plain view to say the very least.
RECOMMENDED: Not specifically listing a tasting menu, but apparently willing to craft one for anyone interested according to the chef and front of house, it would be difficult to name one dish that truly stole the show but suffice it to say that the fish soup is a must as is the bread pudding – both items consistently offered on a menu in which the rest is subject to seasonal change.
AVOID: Perhaps an anomaly, or perhaps a matter of sourcing, the ribeye simply did not live up to the high standards set by the rest of the meal…but then again, those desiring such things should probably consider Carnevino, CUT, or Delmonico instead as each are within walking distance of the Aquaknox doors.
TIP: Those looking for a pre-theater bite would be well advised to check out the Aquaknox bar bites as well as the chilled seafood towers, the later proving a popular choice amongst several couples who came and went during the course of our three hour meal with the raw bar replenished twice during that short course of time.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.aquaknox.net
